A-Ha: The neuroscience of thought

Since my last blog post, there have been quite a few inquiries about how to go about coming up with alternate thoughts, feelings and actions....so drum roll please...I thought I would include a bit of that along with the neuroscience of how the language/thoughts we use affects our every day responses to people, places and things.

About 8 months into my rewiring journey, a DNRS seminar buddy of mine, Valerie G, suggested that I look into reading a book by Joe Dispenza called "Evolve Your Brain". At first I was like, "I don't need no stinking book" (shift, shift, shift) .... I elevated and re-thought about it and realized that I love the science behind this practice so why not....so I logged into my audible account and downloaded the book. I listened to it religiously during my daily walks with an open mind and heart. I was so inspired by the teachings that I would take notes on my phone in the Notes app while I was walking...awesome way to rewire walking and doing something else. There were many of time that I ran into people, trees and tripped (whoopsie daisy, lol)...it was all so worth it because this was, in my mind, the best book ever. It was speaking my language and my brain was soaking it up. I could literally feel me changing my mind about things and taking on new truths as I listened.

I took out my notes written on November 24, 2018 and share them with you:

1. The congruity between your consciousness, thoughts and actions is your internal universe....this plays to the notion of how did Gandhi accomplish so much...think about it...he channeled his internal universe....

2. Changing your focus, changes your mind -- literally....in a split second you can change your mind literally...the biochemistry in your mind, your brain shifts when you shift the focus to something that lifts you up...brings you forward....we have the natural ability to change our attention....(this connects to the point my lovely friend Cathleen King made during the RYW retreat about primal trust). We have the innate intelligence to allow ourselves to make a choice about how we want to feel and live.

3. If our awareness is so mobile, why is it so hard to keep our attention on thoughts that may serve us:

   1. It is what and when we place our attention on things that maps our neurology. When we repeatedly think of and where we place our attention is what we create, we make us. What we resist, is what persists...remember that...what we entertain, runs....

   2. Chronic negative thinking patterns weakens the body....so is anyone or anything worth this? No, so why don't we change this...we get accustomed to this chemistry...we crave it...we feel that we are strapped to this possibility rather than change it.

   3. Bottom Line: To evoke is to change. Can we escape from the limits of our biology and become more evolved human beings? Heck yeah.....

EVOKE IT IS...EVOLVE, EVOLVE, EVOLVE

And did you also know that the reason why we crave the feelings of stress is because scientifically, due to the long term nature of this chemistry floating around in our minds and bodies, that our physical cells grow receptors that allow these chemicals to bind and to enable those feelings in our mind, our bodies, our cells, our everything...our internal universe. My mind was blown! As an educated biologist, it all came together....literally.

Holy crow, when I realized that our thoughts, feelings, actions (remember that from my last blog...and me citing Dr. Joe)...create the biochemistry of our bodies...this was a game changer for me. Being the scientist that I am, I understood why Dr. Joe says we have the best pharmacy within us...we can create the receptors of love, joy, happiness, light, love...yes we can.

The journey is the journey...like anything we evoke to change, evolve...there is going to be some challenge, resistance...we are physically changing the biochemistry our bodies make and changing the type of receptor we grow on our cells...isn't that superpower-ish...we are the creators of our universe, our internal universe.

So next time you feel resistance, you will know that it is your brain and body's way to tell you that the cells are changing, they are shifting into the new biochemistry and creating the new receptors ... new pathways....we not only rewire our brains, we rewire our bodies down to the individual cell, to each strand of our DNA. This is state is when you are the most neuroplastic...so bring on the tools and use them as much as you can to change your state. From this point onward, my visualizations changed to imagining every cell in my body: happy, joyful and with a smile.

This is why I focused on my thoughts/beliefs, feelings, and actions ... because I wanted a different reality of what is called my life and I wanted it very badly...this was the motivation for the "shifting thoughts and beliefs" cards and the gateway to my recovery. The cards challenged me to have loving self-talk, love every part of me, have grace for the people, places and things in my life, as well as taught me how to process external stimuli. I am truly grateful for this.

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BONUS

Now...for tips to come up with alternate thoughts, feelings and actions. Simply...

1. You must elevate your emotional state. This can be achieved by laughing, visualizing your true self, meditation, music...anything that helps you relax and stay calm. This shift activates your pre-frontal cortex which is your executive center and can help support this type of thinking.

2. Focus on the alternate thought, feeling and action and not so much on the thing you are wanting to shift. Close your eyes and imagine how you want to feel when that situation arises. You may find that the same thought, feeling and action will work for many of the same negative patterns. That is ok, that means that the alternate supports the rewiring of multiple situations.

3. Action step: emotion follows motion...so keep your actions open and calming. I used the super hero stance in almost all my cards because that is what felt good...or you can change it up with a jig or ditty, ditty's work great...be playful, creative or as simple as you want to be...there is no right or wrong way...this is your way.

4. Pace yourself...there is no rush to know what all your negative patterns are, you will get to them in due time. Work on what feels good to you...this is individual.

5. Trust yourself in this process...when you are calm and relaxed, you will guide yourself to the best solution.

I hope these help those of you who are looking for more info. Happy rewiring!

Until next time, my friends...stay happy, joyful and shift, shift, shift.

XOXOXO

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